"Only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenceless to save yourself and you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips."

Contents

Nature

Physiology and life cycle

Unicorn foals are pure gold, and turn silver when they are about two years old. They grow their horn at around four. At about seven years old, they are fully grown and turn a shade of white that is so bright it makes snow look grey in comparison. Their hooves are golden, and their blood is silver-blue in colour and shines under the moonlight.

Distribution

Unicorns inhabit the forests of Europe including the Forbidden Forest by Hogwarts.

Interaction with humans

Unicorns prefer a woman's touch, but the young ones are more trusting and do not mind men as much. Unicorns are also so fleet-of-hoof that they can rarely be caught by humans.

Uses

Various parts of the Unicorn - the horn and tail hair in particular - are used in potions and for the cores of wands, respectively. Also, the tail and mane hair and the horn can be used in various potions, as Harry tells Firenze after seeing Voldemort drink the unicorn blood in the Forbidden Forest. The tail hair can also be used as binding in bandages due to its incredible strength.[1] The blood of a unicorn can be used to keep a person who is near death alive, but "you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips."[2]

The unicorn's single straight horn is used, in runic, to symbolise the number one.[3]

Behind the scenes

In LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4, Voldemort tries to sneak up on the unicorn with a knife and fork, but is scared off by Firenze who shows him his fist. Hagrid then proceeds to care for the sick unicorn like a child.

Unicorns are capable of moving faster than werewolves. During the detention in the Forbidden Forest in 1992, Harry asked if a werewolf could be killing the unicorns and Hagrid replied that they're not fast enough.[2]